curry for 28 people

[lirael]

Going to be cooking for a large group of people at our house - we have an Aga and a two ring induction hob. I'm thinking a huge vat of curry would go down well, but I know that trying to cook rice for 28 will be stressful! Can I get away with just serving nan bread - or does anyone know a stress free way of cooking rice for 28?
Thanks

Cook the rice in batches earlier in the day and microwave and steam before serving. 28 portions of naan bread is a challenge though. You may be better making chapatis as they are easier to reheat.

Can you hire a rice cooker? Or do any of your friends have 1 or 2 you can borrow?
They are great and easy for making the rice and then once it is cooked it keeps it warm!

You could put a big pan of rice in the simmering oven, so long as you cook it by the absorption method - twice volume of water to rice. It will take a bit longer, but is hassle free.

If you use basmati and soak it for 30mins, it only takes about 8 mins to cook on a hob, so you could do a batch on the induction hob as well.

Why not make one curry a biryani which is a one pot dish.

I am more interested in how the OP will be cooking naan for 28 people.

Rice cooker is a good idea - or using simmering oven. How many portions of rice can you cook in a rice cooker?

I'd thought about biryani - I think I'm just nervous of cooking large batches of rice in any form, as it's so easy to ruin!

Good point about reheating the nan - just wanted to use my foolproof and delicious Dan Lepard recipe. If I had rice in simmering oven or rice cooker, main oven could be free for nan and curry could be reheating on Aga plates. Induction hob will only work with of my pans - not the huge ones sadly.

Have got lots of time to practise - it's not until March!! (DH's 50th)

Can I have your Naan recipe btw?

Dan Lepard's frying pan naan (makes 4 large or 6 smaller) I have doubled recipe successfully.
100ml cold mlik
125g plain yoghurt
50ml boiling water
I tsp fast action yeast
300g plain flour
50g wholemeal flour (I've used all white flour and it's fine)
half tsp bicarb
3/4tsp fine salt
1 tsp sugar
(Dan uses garlic oil and cumin seeds to brush on at end - I don't usually bother)

Stir milk, yog and water together then add yeast. Add flours, bicarb, salt and sugar and mix to sticky dough. Cover and leave for 30 mins, then lightly knead ( Dan has method for this in his book - basically it's just about 4 quarter turns, stretching and folding) and leave for 1 hour. Lightly flour worktop, pat dough into circle and cut into 4/6 wedges. Roll out into triangles (or in my case any old shape) about 1-2cms thick. Heat pan and cook until light brown patches appear on underside and they puff up - turn over and repeat. Either keep warm in oven as you cook - I just pile them up on plate and put in simmering oven - or cool and freeze. they freeze and reheat really well.

I have rushed this before and not given full proving time and they've still worked. Added dried chilli and fennel seeds once which was also delicious.

Add kalonji seeds, makes a marvelous nan.

I regularly cook for large groups, on a two ring hob or an earth oven which i built myself, at our community garden.

For rice, I do it in a jam pan, and once it is cooked, strain it in a sieve when needed. So it would be strained and put into a warmed serving dish just before people served themselves. For younger people, i just strain and serve say 4 plates at a time, and whilst dishing out the curry, get the next small batch draining. The last serving is usually my own anyway so i can drain all the water out of the pan on the last strain.

I cook the rice with turmeric until al dente then strain and rinse. Put into ovenproof dishes add some melted butter to keep the rice moist and a cinnamon stick, kalonji, cumin or fennel seeds (whatever you like) and then warm gently in the oven with the lid on 20-30min. You can do step one in advance but store cooked rice in a cold place.

You can also microwave the rice.

Personally I think you can get away with just serving naan and lots of relishes chutneys and pickles.

take away rice :)

Last time I did curry for a party I just added potatoes, cauliflower and chick peas to the curry as to bulk out as carbs, left out rice and served with naan.

Another great thread. The rice with butter and spices is inspired may pinch that for our Christmas party this year.